Alice and the Fly

Written by James Rice

Narrated by Scott Williams

This is a book about phobias and obsessions, isolation and dark corners. It's about families, friendships, and carefully preserved secrets. But above everything else it's about love. Finding love - in any of its forms - and nurturing it.

Miss Hayes has a new theory. She thinks my condition's caused by some traumatic incident from my past I keep deep-rooted in my mind. As soon as I come clean I'll flood out all these tears and it'll all be ok and I won't be scared of Them anymore. The truth is I can't think of any single traumatic childhood incident to tell her. I mean, there are plenty of bad memories - Herb's death, or the time I bit the hole in my tongue, or Finners Island, out on the boat with Sarah - but none of these are what caused the phobia. I've always had it. It's Them. I'm just scared of Them. It's that simple.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hachette UK Audio
• Release date: Jan 15, 2015
• ISBN: 9781473604698

James Rice

James Rice (1843-1882) was an English novelist. Born in Northampton and educated at Cambridge University, he became a lawyer at Lincoln’s Inn in 1871. There, he befriended Walter Besant, with whom he would collaborate on over a dozen popular novels and short story collections, included The Golden Butterfly (1876). Their prolific working relationship ended in tragedy in 1882 with Rice’s untimely death I Redhill, Surrey.